State Assembly Members N.
Nick Perry and Stephanie Zinerman;
State Sens. Roxanne
Persaud, Jabari Brisport and
Kevin Parker; Manhattan Borough
President Gale Brewer;
and Brooklyn District Attorney
Eric Gonzalez.
They frequently interrupted
their march to pose with the
few masqueraders, gigging to
Caribbean rhythms blaring
from a disc jockey.
“It’s carnival morning,”
blurted out Michelle Gibbs,
WIADCA’s Guyanese-born
chairperson, during the postmarch
press conference. “Lord,
we’re here. We finally made it
on the parkway (Eastern Parkway).
We’re grateful to be here.
It took a while for us.
“This is the ‘Rebirth’,” she
added, partially echoing the
theme of this year’s New York
Caribbean Carnival, “Rebirth:
Future Now.” “This is New York
Carnival.
“Guys, we could not have
done this without you,” Gibbs
continued. “It took a lot, but
we made it. This is Carnival
Monday.”
Anne Pasternak, director of
the Brooklyn Museum, said she
was “so proud to see all of you
Fashion Steelpan Jamboree thrills masqueraders
brings to his elegant events.
After more that an hour late,
the show at the Marine Park
Golf Course, Brooklyn, packed
an excited punch bringing Cole-
Facts by Michelle Cole-Wagner
to the fore. Her trademark white
collection in bridal pantsuits,
some finished with flowing bridal
train, others with halter-top,
lit up the catwalk.
Cole-Wagner unleashed an
eclectic nineteen-piece classic
wearable line wowing with a red
mini dress, color-blocking leopard
print gown all ready-to-wear
and for sale, via ColeFacts.com.
Cole-Wagner said her collection
is a capsule of three collections
that started with her linen
and leather patch design dresses
that flowed into a collection of
Leopard print, an ode to her late
mother-in-law, Anne Wagner,
who loved the fabric print.
She added that the pieces
swirled into a ColeFacts Wedding
collection geared towards
the modern edgy bride.
Cesar Galindo, gracefully
dressed models in his flirty collection
of gowns, and elegant
today,” noting that, for years,
the museum has hosted WIADCA
carnival activities.
“Thank you, WIADCA, for
being part of our community,”
she said.
After asking all the children
to stand, Congresswoman
Clarke, the daughter of Jamaican
immigrants, who represents
the largely Caribbean
9th Congressional District in
Brooklyn, said that, though
many of them were born in
Brooklyn, “they got the Caribbean
whine (gyration).”
“We love you, Carnival
Rebirth!” she exclaimed. “And,
as my mother (former New
York City Councilwoman Dr.
Una S.T. Clarke, the first Caribbean
born woman to be elected
to the City Council), would say,
‘you’re good in whining, be
good in your books.’”
After removing a large Grenadian
flag, draped around him,
Williams, the son of Grenadian
immigrants, noted the beauty
of all flags on display.
“Those flags are beautiful,
but one is more beautiful,” he
said to laughter, waving the
Grenadian flag, with the colors
— green, red and yellow.
“Next year, we’re coming
back strong; J’Ouvert, too,”
separates. The New York-bred
designer, who launched his first
collection, over 20 years ago,
dressed Madonna, Mary J Blige,
and certainly left that indelible
creative mark on the runway
that patrons, applauded with
gusto.
By way of Togo, West Africa,
L’Atelier Raif, who has dressed
artists India Ari, Jill Scott, and
Angie Stone, brought that same
exotic technique to the runway.
His elegant flowing tie-dye
gowns, and men’s wear, made up
the 16-piece collection by Raif,
who said his designing is a natural
progression, of his colorful
sense of style.
Caribbean Life, S 38 EPTEMBER 10-16, 2021
Masquerade children danced to Caribbean vibes at the Brooklyn Museum at the urging of
Congresswoman Yvette D. Clarke. Photo by Nelson A. King
Williams added. “We’re going
to mash-up the parkway.”
Instead of grand marshals,
who are normally selected for
the massive parade, WIADCA
named four march marshals for
the Labor Day March, recognizing
them at the press conference.
They were New York City
First Lady Chirlane McCray, who
traces her roots to Barbados and
St. Lucia; Rabbi Eli Cohen, executive
director of the Brooklynbased
Jewish Community Council;
Dr. Henri Paul, of the Brooklyn
based Haitian Medical and
Disaster Relief Organization;
and posthumously Montserratian
born Dr. J.A. George Irish,
former head of the Caribbean
Research Center, dean of the
School of Liberal Arts and professor
of Caribbean and Latin
American Studies at Brooklyn’s
Medgar Evers College.
After Dr. Patricia Ramsey, the
new and first woman president
ever of Brooklyn’s Medgar Evers
College, introduced Dr. Ken
Irish-Bramble, the St. Martinborn
son of Dr. Irish and professor
of political science at Medgar
Evers College, Dr. Irish-Bramble
said that WIADCA’s work is “a
reflection of his (Dr. Irish) ideals.”
Congresswoman Clarke said
“no one is a greater example
than the person who we’re
honoring today,” referring to
McCray.
Continued from Page 37
Michelle Cole ColeFacts.
Photo by Tangerine Clarke
Continued from Page 37
popular Annual Caribbean
American Carnival on Eastern
Parkway that turned 54 years,
was sidelined due to the ongoing
coronavirus pandemic.
The presentation began
around 8 pm and showcased
the talents of various steelband
orchestra players. The
bands performed a medley of
songs, while putting on riveting
performances, massed to
the infectious steel pan sounds
heard across the museum
grounds.
Cheers and applause, helped
to put pan players in the carnival
spirit, as they vied for
the approval of spectators who
judged the night’s performances.
Defending champions
D’Radoes put on an exciting
performance with panists, Martin
Cain and Dane Gulston at
the helm.
The energetic Moko Jumbies
stilt dancers were one of the
highlights of the scaled-down
carnival presentation that
WIADCA publicist Anne-Rhea
Smith said despite the COVID-
19 derailing the celebration,
organizers wanted something
festive and representative of the
carnival.
“We could not present Panorama
because it’s a competition,
and it just wasn’t feasible
this year because of the limited
number of people allowed at the
event due to COVID.”
“Jamboree is the essence of
some of the things we did previously
with Joyce Quamina.
She conceived this idea and we
wanted to bring that back to
the people so they could enjoy
the instrument, the music and
the culture in the midst of the
pandemic.
“Jamboree is really what
saved us, by understanding the
history of what Jamboree really
means. It’s a wonderful jamdown,
everybody bouncing up.
They are having a good time
and especially pan enthusiasts,
who can still hear their favorite
band,” said Smith, adding that
the winning band would receive
the People’s Choice Award, as it
was the audience who would
select the best band.
Continued from Page 37
MARCH ON
Hearts of Steel Orchestra revved up the crowd at the WIADCA
Steelpan Jamboree on the grounds of the Brooklyn
Museum. Photo by Tangerine Clarke
/ColeFacts.com